Does privacy on the iPhone only work in Las Vegas?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apps Are Using Background App Refresh to Send Data to Tracking Companies
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Probably not. I can think of 4 reasons.
1. Convenience. He has an iPhone. The best testing tool is the one you have with you.
← see what I did there?2. Apple's use of privacy as a marketing tool is a clarion call to every intrepid 'journalist' to put that marketing to the test. Android OEM's don't use privacy as a marketing tool. It wouldn't make any sense for them to do so anyway. None of them use the same flavor of Android. It's not monolithic like iOS.
3. iOS is a monolith. There is only one. With Android, would he test Samsung's flavor? LG's? Xiaomi's? One Plus'? All of them have their own app stores + Play Store access. You see where I'm going here. Diminishing returns would be reached pretty quickly.
4. Apple gets clicks.
Last edited:
Privacy is an illusion — doesn’t anyone understand this, truly understand it? Just by owning a cellphone, you can be triangulated and your position found. Homeland security can crack into your iPhones no matter the security, didn’t anyone actually READ the hundreds of pages released from Edward Snowden? Hasn’t anyone researched and read up on interviews he’s given about cellphones and security? He recommends covering all front-facing cameras and mics, too. He basically said all phones microphones are compromised and can be hacked into.
All.
Phones.
Deleting Spotify because they’re sending some ad data is just funny. but hey, whatever keeps you out of that cognitive dissonance...
No one and no phone is secure. Whatever you see and read, others have seen and read. That’s just how it is in today’s world.
Spotify is also using us as servers, sharing song files with other users. Maybe I should delete it?!?
That's IT! I'm switching to Android where I'll be safe from tracking!
Is there even an option to turn this off on Android? And does turning it off actually disable tracking? The fact that these need to be posed as separate questions underlines a big problem with Android.
Download Hello Weather and thank me later.
[doublepost=1559067617][/doublepost]
That’s about all you can do. Conversations texts and location will still be able to be pinpointed on a dumb flip phone too though. There is no security, doesn’t really matter what you use. If you’re transmitting data through an internet, NSA has you. Lol
Question: What's the benefit of having Background App Refresh on? I've got an 8 Plus with a practically new battery and it has an A11 Chip, so it's no slouch and I didn't think it would break a sweat anyway (it doesn't).
But with these findings and people here saying battery life is much better with it off... what was the point of it again?
I used to turn it off back during the 5/5S/6 days but years later is it even that helpful? Thanks.
But with these findings and people here saying battery life is much better with it off... what was the point of it again?
I used to turn it off back during the 5/5S/6 days but years later is it even that helpful? Thanks.
Yes they are....but people ready to buy the PR that privacy is protected for luxury !!! There ends the matter for Apple....faith is more important, it's all mind game!!
The creepiest to me is still Instagram. I swear they listen to the microphone or something.
Recently my bf and I were talking about some really specific stuff we want for the kitchen without doing any searches on my phone and half a day later I get an ad on Instagram about those kind of detailed kitchen utilities. This is just one of many coincidences
Recently my bf and I were talking about some really specific stuff we want for the kitchen without doing any searches on my phone and half a day later I get an ad on Instagram about those kind of detailed kitchen utilities. This is just one of many coincidences
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
Yes, but the secure enclave is safe up to -40 C.
So these trackers could only really steal your info if your phone was below -40 C.
Not very likely.
/s
So these trackers could only really steal your info if your phone was below -40 C.
Not very likely.
/s
Same. And I’ve read reports of apps using the microphone without giving permission or access on iOS. Of course they do. The data they can collect is about money and money corrupts all. Anyone considering the notion that you really have to grant access to the microphone for an app is just incredibly and dangerously naive.
Once, at work, a coworker offered me a drink of a brand of sparkling water he drinks specifically because he’s diabetic. I had my phone out in the breakroom, just browsing around doing whatever. He offered me the water and I said no thank you and that was that. No browser searches no data or anything.
The very next day on FB and Instagram I was receiving sponsored ads for the exact (obscure) brand of water he offered me.
Privacy is an illusion — everyone is exposed.
Don't install Spotify on a Mac if you have LittleSnitch, unless you have a couple of hours to approve all of the connections it wants to make. It's impressive not in a good way. I'm sure it's not that way with the careful vetting that Apple does on iOS. /s
Might be a stupid question.. but any app can send web/network requests to send this data via other means. Is there some reason why using "Background App Refresh" is more effective, or insidious?
Is it to get around Apple's app approval process?
Is it to get around Apple's app approval process?
Webapps can do this too. It's called a service worker, and it's pretty standard.
Apps that were found passing data along included Microsoft OneDrive, Mint, Nike, Spotify, The Weather Channel, DoorDash, Yelp, Citizen, and even The Washington Post's own iOS app.
Ouch.
Good thing I don’t use any of those apps.
Doesn't push notification require background app refresh to work? If the app is unable to send and receive data while in the background, how would it know what to push?
I've always had it off and don't feel like I'm missing anything for what it's worth. Doesn't seem to impact notifications at all.
I'm curious why these articles are always mentioning Apps sharing data like your phone number or e-mail.
Developers don't have access to this data, so if they have it then it was given to them by the user (perhaps when signing up for an account). This is why I hate Apps that expect me to create an account just to use them (within reason - some legitimately need an account).
Regardless, they didn't get this information because of a lack of privacy on Apples part or bug in iOS that gave them access.
Developers don't have access to this data, so if they have it then it was given to them by the user (perhaps when signing up for an account). This is why I hate Apps that expect me to create an account just to use them (within reason - some legitimately need an account).
Regardless, they didn't get this information because of a lack of privacy on Apples part or bug in iOS that gave them access.
I was wondering the same thing or is the next step to power off/on your phone every 2-3 days.... or if iOS will provide a scheduled restart option....
It hasn’t reset mine. I turned mine off because the battery on my phone has been crap lately.
Not in my experience! Push notifications for the apps I use don't require backgrounding, I'm not sure if some particular apps may rely on it somehow.
Probably to get data more consistently. If your App is suspended in the background because you haven't used it in awhile, how could they send data?